Archives for April 2012

I’ve not ever published a guest blog but I’ve been contacted recently by David Haas of Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance who was keen to write an article about how exercise can help cancer patients. With the Virgin London marathon just around the corner and me running it for Macmillan Cancer Support after fundraising for the last six months, it seemed a very fitting subject, so I agreed to let David write a guest post for my blog. Here’s what David has to say….

Exercise Provides a Greater Quality of Life

Exercise is important for individuals who are experiencing cancer at any stage: diagnosis, treatment or recovery. The type of exercise recommended may vary but overall exercise can help individuals with cancer have more energy, be physically healthier and feel better than those who do not partake. An exercise plan should be developed with the help of a physician so that it is deemed safe, but it is important for individuals going through cancer to try their hardest to stay physically active.

There are many types of exercise that can be helpful during cancer. If an individual is feeling tired and lousy because of treatments or medications it is recommended that light exercise be performed regularly. This can include taking a short walk around the neighborhood or hospital, or doing light stretching or yoga. These activities will help invigorate a tired patient but will not make them feel exhausted or increase their feelings of sickness.

Individuals who are experiencing troubles with their lymph nodes during a cancer prognosis are prompted to exercise to help reduce swelling. Light weight lifting, mild aerobic exercise or yoga are all helpful during this time. This should be performed under the recommendation of a physician to ensure that it is safe for the patient. People with cancer, such as mesothelioma, can feel better after doing some health-promoting exercises.

Yoga is an exercise that is good for people in all stages of cancer because it is a mind and body exercise. This means that it helps the body to grow stronger and fitter but it also helps relax the mind. Yoga has been known to bring spiritual awareness to people and help them gain a more positive attitude on life. If this is performed during cancer treatment or recovery there is a better chance that the patient will feel better and fight harder to cure themselves of the disease.

Having cancer can cause depression in many people. Exercise helps to elevate the feel-good chemicals in the body that naturally help diminish depression. Patients who exercise regularly do not report having as many problems with depression as others do who do not exercise. This is one more reason why adding a few minutes of exercise to a person’s daily routine can help them to recover from cancer more quickly.

Life after cancer requires that individuals exercise to help prevent future cancer from occurring. Exercise can help prevent the occurrence of many types of cancer including breast, colon, endometrial and many others. It is recommended that adults recovering from cancer exercise three to five days per week for at least one hour at a time. A healthy lifestyle that includes eating a diet rich in nutrients can also help the individual’s quality of life. Fighting cancer is a difficult battle and exercise can help people get a little closer to winning. There are no guarantees when it comes to cancer but individuals who exercise generally feel better than those who do not.

If you, a friend or a family member are going through cancer, why not speak to someone like David and have a chat about how exercise can help you and what you should be doing. You can contact David through his blog at The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.

If you would like to find out why David’s blog is so fitting, please feel free to read my story and why I’m running the London marathon for a cancer related charity at my just giving page.

Remember, exercise can help in all areas of life, whether you have an illness or you don’t. You are not alone; there are plenty of people across the world that you can talk too that will help you and support you along the way.

Michael Dobson
Personal Trainer

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